Dr. Rama Amara, one of Emory Center for AIDS Research's principal investigators told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the grant has two major goals: to create a preventative vaccine and to develop a functional cure for those already infected with the virus.

"A person infected with HIV can use therapy or drugs — and there are some right now that are really good," he said. "But the major drawback is that the people infected have to be on them for the rest of their life."

Using the grant, investigators aim to develop a cure that can reprogram the immune system so that when individuals are removed from therapy, the virus can still be controlled without any drugs, he said.

The partnership between Emory and the NIH brings together scientists with a diverse mix of research backgrounds to combine multiple components of individual studies for a more synergistic approach, Amara said.

"It's a real collaborative effort and Emory plays a big role," he said. "The grant has provided an opportunity to do something really big."